The director of the Iranian film “A Separation,” which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film Sunday night, delivered a heartfelt plea for the people of Iran to be recognized for their contributions to culture and not just for the harsh words exchanged lately between political officials.

“At this time many Iranians all over the world are watching us and I imagine them to be very happy,” said Asghar Farhadi, the writer and director of the film. “They are happy not just because of an important award or a film or a filmmaker, but because at the time when talk of war, intimidation and aggression is exchanged between politicians, the name of their country, Iran, is spoken here through her glorious culture.”

For the past several months, Iran has become a byword for threat and violence in much of the West, with Israel suggesting the country’s possession of a nuclear weapon would be grounds for war.

In a seeming response to war-like rhetoric from Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is often said to have called for Israel to be “wiped off the map,” Farhadi added that he offered his award to “the people of my country, a people who respect all cultures and civilizations and despise hostility and resentment.”

“A Separation” tells the story of an upper-middle class family living in Tehran and falling apart, as it struggles to balance its daily life with its competing desires to leave the oppressive society of Iran.

Even as Farhadi celebrated a different version of Iran being recognized at the Oscars, he also didn’t hold back in his critique about the regime there itself, accusing it of smothering “a rich and ancient culture…under heavy dust of politics.”

Farhadi’s extended remarks are below:

At this time many Iranians all over the world are watching us and I imagine them to be very happy. They are happy not just because of an important award or a film or a filmmaker, but because at the time when talk of war, intimidation and aggression is exchanged between politicians, the name of their country, Iran, is spoken here through her glorious culture. A rich and ancient culture that has been under heavy dust of politics. I proudly offer this honor to the people of my country, a people who respect all cultures and civilizations and despise hostility and resentment. Thank you very much.

“An unheeded call for a Bible burning at a congressional candidate’s restaurant sparked a “whodunnit” exercise over the weekend…

…’It is unfortunate that there are individuals who feel the need to delve into gutter politics. This is expected behavior from someone who is unbalanced, and has no place in politics,’ said Harrington spokesman Anthony Bustamante.

‘Our campaign to “Fire Debbie Wasserman Schultz” has not skipped a beat, we just hope this classless and irresponsible act was not done by one of our primary opponents.’….”

JD

Loon’s are getting desprate

If your going to act like a muslim and make a fake AD, use the correct terms and don’t give your self away
======================

A posting on Craig’s List called for a “Bible-burning” Saturday at a restaurant owned by a South Florida congressional candidate. But the event fizzled.

Targeting Republican Karen Harrington’s restaurant in Pembroke Pines, the announcement stated: “The Muslim Brotherhood of South Florida is pleased to announce our first BIBLE BURNING. All believers in the TRUE GOD ALLAH are encouraged to attend and participate.”

The posting invited attendees to “Bring your own Bible …TO BURN,” and said “all believers in Allah are welcome.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations immediately disavowed any knowledge of the event, and quickly denounced it.

“I have no idea who’s behind it, but there won’t be any Muslims there,” said Hassan Shibly, CAIR’s Florida director.

As for your guesses, I don’t have time to search the Ha’aretz archives, but there is really little point in posting guesses when you could have done the search yourself. You may be right and you may be wrong on those, but I have no idea why anyone should give any credence to speculation.

NurAlia

Skeptic…

Right, the truth from a Zionist paper about thier enemy. My guess is that Haaretz aslo produced ‘evidence’ that Iraq has WMD and talked about the ‘imminent threat’ to Israel.

The worst thing here is Haaretz is the BEST and most FAIR news outlet from Israel.